Default Materials
MapleCAM's material library includes common CNC materials organized by category.
Material Categories
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Wood | Softwood (pine, cedar), hardwood (maple, oak, walnut), plywood, MDF |
| Metal | Aluminum, brass, copper |
| Plastic | Acrylic, HDPE, Delrin, polycarbonate |
| Composite | Carbon fiber, fiberglass, G10 |
| Foam | Rigid foam, HDU (sign foam) |
How Material Affects Operations
The selected material influences recommended cutting parameters through tool presets. Harder materials generally require:
- Lower feed rates
- Lower depth per pass
- Potentially lower spindle speeds (especially metals)
Customizing Materials
Materials are not stored in a separate file. Material names are extracted at runtime from tool-preset names (e.g. a preset called "1/8in Flat - Hardwood" implies the material "Hardwood"). To add a material, create a tool preset that references it; to "edit" a material, rename the relevant presets.